Chapter Fifty-Two: The Inquest

As time gradually passed, Zhao Mu awoke slowly. Seeing Liu Xin holding Yao Ye and weeping softly, she and Xiao Xiao hurried over. Zhao Mu asked anxiously as they ran, “Senior Sister, how is Yao Ye?”

Kneeling beside the unconscious Yao Ye—whose body was battered and bruised beyond recognition—Zhao Mu’s face twisted with fury, teeth clenched in anger.

Liu Xin looked up at Zhao Mu, shook her head gently, then bowed her head again.

Xiao Xiao, having rushed over, had set aside all her usual playfulness. Clenching her fists and biting her lip, she now blamed herself for being too frivolous in the past, helpless now when her friends needed her most. She gently patted Liu Xin’s shoulder, her eyes brimming with tears.

Peng Lei finished circulating his energy and hurried over. Seeing the sorrow etched on everyone’s faces, he spoke softly to comfort them. “Don’t be sad! Yao Ye should be fine. Earlier, his soul was dissipating rapidly—almost lost. Fortunately, I managed to retrieve the Lotus of the Earth’s Heart. The lotus has two treasures: the lotus itself and its seed. I’ve already fed the seed to Yao Ye.”

As he reassured them, Peng Lei laid his hand on Yao Ye and channeled his energy, checking his condition. “Good, the seed has already been absorbed. There’s still some undigested essence, steadily releasing soul energy. Yao Ye’s soul has reformed; he’ll regain consciousness soon.”

Peng Lei stood up and quickly fashioned a makeshift stretcher nearby. “Let’s return at once! Elder Tang is waiting for us. He can also examine Yao Ye and see exactly what his condition is.”

Liu Xin tenderly kissed Yao Ye’s forehead before laying him on the stretcher. The four disciples set out towards the exit, carrying their fallen companion.

Just as they reached the exit, a figure leapt at them in attack. Tang Ze stepped forward immediately, intercepting the assailant.

“Hmph! Li Chun, have you lived all these years just to behave like a cur? It’s one thing to strike at the younger generation, but to launch a sneak attack?”

Li Chun, furious, pointed at Tang Ze. “Step aside and hand over the culprit, Yao Ye. Do that, and I won’t make things difficult for the rest of you. Otherwise, don’t blame me for a massacre!”

Tang Ze sneered, “You believe whatever you’re told, without distinguishing right from wrong. Are you simple or just foolish? Shouldn’t you at least get the facts first?”

Li Chun sheathed his sword and replied coldly, “Very well. If it really was Yao Ye who ambushed and killed my academy’s disciples, what then?”

“If Yao Ye has indeed wantonly killed the innocent, I, Tang Ze, will not shield him. I’ll hand him over to you—how does that sound?”

Li Chun realized that further entanglement was pointless. He turned away with a cold snort, heading back towards the Divine Wind Academy’s camp.

Tang Ze looked back at Peng Lei and the others, then at Yao Ye lying unconscious on the stretcher, his fate uncertain. He sighed softly. “Say nothing, ask nothing. Come with me to our quarters first.”

Everyone returned to their temporary lodging, gathering around Yao Ye, who lay on the bed. After examining Yao Ye’s condition, Tang Ze frowned deeply. Turning his back, he whispered to Ling Yun, “Soon, I’ll find a way to stall Li Chun. You take Yao Ye and return to the academy at once. Be careful on the road—protect him no matter what.”

Ling Yun nodded solemnly. Tang Ze turned to Peng Lei and his three companions. “All four of you, come with me.”

The four followed Tang Ze to Li Chun’s quarters. After both Tang Ze and Li Chun were seated, Tang Ze spoke first. “Peng Lei, recount everything that happened, in full detail. Omit nothing. There are accusations that you colluded with demons and murdered your peers. If I catch you lying, don’t blame me for being severe.”

“Vice Dean, after entering the Myriad Demon Grotto, we allied with the disciples of the Martial Academy. Our sole objective was to prevent the demons from obtaining the Lotus of the Earth’s Heart,” Peng Lei replied.

Tang Ze glanced at Li Chun. “Go on. Why did none of the Martial Academy’s disciples return?”

Peng Lei bowed respectfully to them both and continued, “When we reached the Miasma Zone together, we were blocked by a swarm of giant leeches. We planned to detour, but the Fire Dance Academy’s people set us up. They provoked the leeches, which then surrounded us. Fortunately, before we left, Dean Liu gave us a jade talisman. That’s how we escaped.”

“When we got near the Lotus of the Earth’s Heart, we saw the demons and Fire Dance’s people confronting the lotus’s guardian beast. The demons struck first, and the Fire Dance group, afraid of the demons’ power, submitted to them.”

Tang Ze nodded, stroking his beard. “And then? What happened next?”

Zhao Mu stepped forward and said, “Allow me. We didn’t understand the lotus’s nature. When our senior brother tried to pick it during the chaos between the demons and the guardian beast, he was trapped in an illusion. Only then did we realize the lotus could only be harvested with spiritual power.”

“The demons were trapped in the guardian’s illusion and couldn’t act for a time. That’s when Li Qin from Martial Academy tried to snatch the lotus, but Yao Ye stopped him. In desperation, Li Qin attacked and interrupted the guardian beast’s spell, freeing the demons. The demons then betrayed their supposed allies and killed Li Qin and the others, leaving the Fire Dance group to frame us.”

Li Chun rose, slamming the table. “Utter nonsense! You’re all from the same side—of course you’ll say whatever you please!”

Zhao Mu replied calmly, “If you don’t believe us, you can detain the Fire Dance disciples. The demons placed restrictions on them; with your cultivation, you should be able to sense it.”

“If I find you’re lying, I’ll kill you all myself!” Li Chun stormed out, robes billowing.